Dear Reader

Dear Reader Column 04-16-07

Join my email book club. Over 330,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

It's National Library Week and sadly, last week, I received this email from one of our book club readers:

"Suzanne, I was relieved to find my book club read this morning, because I wasn't sure we would be getting them here. I live in Jackson County, Oregon and all 15 of our county libraries closed their doors at the end of last week. I can't tell you how sad this makes me feel. Our libraries (and other services) are supported by federal timber money, and we lost ours. We've been working to find a solution to the problem and hope the closure won't last long. We consider the library to be a necessity and have lost our greatest resource. I learned to read before I started Kindergarten and have had a library card for 55 years. I feel such a terrible sense of loss. Thanks for all you do."--Becky Longie

I was stunned. I grew up going to the library every week and I can't imagine not having one.

In honor of National Library Week, would you do me a favor? If you're reading at one of our library book clubs, it would be wonderful if you would send an email to your library, to let the staff know how much you enjoy and appreciate the library's Online Book Club. They'd love to hear from you.

If you are not reading at a library book club, send your library an email anyway, thank them for being in the community and then tell them about this book club. This is their week, so let's give them some good feedback.

The library's email address is probably above my DearReader column, or if you can't find it, send the email to me and I will forward it to them. Thanks for your help. I sure do appreciate it.

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

**I FELL IN LOVE with two poems last week. I found them in the book, The Spoken Word Revolution, Redux. Read a poem, or listen to the poet read to you, get a great recipe and enter the drawing for a free copy of the book. Let me know if you liked the poems, too.
Go to: http://tinyurl.com/ypof6d

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com 
http://www.DearReader.com

AUTHORBUZZ: Great books, great authors. Win signed copies of this week's special books! Julia London, The Perils of Pursuing a Prince; Minton Sparks, Desperate Ransom; Karen Chance, Claimed by Shadow; ReShonda Tate Billingsley, With Friends Like These; and Alison Kent, The Perfect Stranger. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

READ THE CLASSICS: Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/35ylrr

Dear Reader Column 04-13-07

Join my email book club. Over 330,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

The 12 year old boy was sitting in the plush chair next to my husband. They were both in the hot seat. Periodically the boy's mother would come out of the dressing room with a different outfit on, turn her head slightly, smile, and ask her son, "What do you think?" And then, just as she was leaving the runway, I would appear wearing my latest "hopeful." Hopeful that the red print skirt looked as good on me as it did on the hanger and now it was my turn to ask, "What do you think?"

Back and forth, back and forth, you could tell both the boy and my husband were familiar with this routine, and neither of them seemed to mind. The chairs were cushy and the two of them were talking nonstop and periodically laughing and looking around, as if to see if anyone was listening.

"You're going to be in this position many times in your life," I overheard my husband telling the boy as I was heading back to the dressing room, "so let me give you a few pointers. Some things I've learned through the years."

Hmm, pointers? What were these secrets my husband was passing on to the younger generation? Of course I couldn't resist listening in. So I hid around the corner and eavesdropped in between runway appearances.

"Let's say your mom, girlfriend or wife, (you'll probably have one of those last two some day) is showing you a dress, but you don't like it," my husband told the willing student, "when she asks what you think, don't ever come right out and tell her you don't like the dress. Instead, withhold your opinion, and say something that will encourage her to take another look in the mirror, so she can decide for herself about the dress."

What could the boy possibly say to avoid giving his opinion? My husband recommended a long pause and then saying, "Well, I don't know."

'Well, I don't know?' Hey, wait a minute. Didn't my husband just say that to me a couple of minutes ago, when I was modeling the red print skirt? Where's the mirror?

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com 
http://www.DearReader.com

Dear Reader Column 04-12-07

Join my email book club. Over 330,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

Every month I bake two dozen of my famous chocolate chip cookies for a book club reader. But this month I baked for two people: Rachel Hawkins from Colorado, and Bertha Ray from Georgia. Congratulations! UPS should be delivering my cookies to you today.

To enter the March Chocolate Chip drawing I asked readers to send me their favorite cookie recipe and I couldn't resist trying Bertha's Peanut Butter Clouds. Bertha said they were different than the regular peanut butter cookies because, "They seem to melt in your mouth," and she was right. And Rachel sent me the recipe for Thumbprint Cookies; plop the dough on the cookie sheet, stick your thumb in it and then add some of your favorite jam or jelly and drizzle with powdered sugar. Playing with the cookie dough sounded fun and, in the past, whenever a recipe called for jam or jelly I immediately ruled it out, but Rachel assured me they were delicious so I gave them a try. They were fantastic and my neighbors loved them, too!

I've posted the recipes, along with some step-by-step photos of me baking the cookies. Give them a try, you'll love 'em. Go to:

http://www.emailbookclub.com/photo/cookie10.html

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com 
http://www.DearReader.com

AUTHORBUZZ: Win signed copies of books you'll read and never forget from these terrific authors: Nicole Young, Love Me If You Must; Ted Dekker, Skin; Beryl Singleton Bissell, The Scent of God: A Memoir; Masha Hamilton, The Camel Bookmobile; and Greg Bear, Quantico. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

Dear Reader Column 04-11-07

Join my email book club. Over 330,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

I know you're busy. Thank you so much for taking the time to write. I always appreciate hearing from readers. It feels like you're writing a 'Dear Reader' column and sending it back to me.

From my email bag.

*If you missed yesterday's column go to: http://tinyurl.com/yoauc7

"Suzanne, you are so lucky to have such an understanding husband. We love our parents but there is a lot of pain associated with those feelings. Again, you made my eyes well up first thing in the morning! Your Dear Reader column is amazing in it's ability to strike a cord with so many readers. Are you really an undercover psychologist running a book club? Whew! I'm going to get myself a big cup of coffee now."--Deborah B.

"Suzanne, I cried today reading your comments about the tulips and corsages for Easter. As a young girl, I would receive a beautiful corsage each Easter from my dad that I proudly wore to church on Easter Sunday. Thank you for the memory. Tears came to my eyes when I read your husband bought you tulips because he KNEW with the tears in your eyes, what you were thinking and missing. You called it 'a rescue'. I call it having a wonderful mate who knows how to make you feel special. You are indeed a lucky woman. Thanks for sharing."-- Madeline

"Hi Suzanne, I just read your story about your dad giving you an Easter corsage every year. I had a 'moment' too, this Easter, remembering how Daddy gave us the flowers and how proud he always was of us, especially when we were all dressed up and on our best behavior for church. Whenever we were able to visit on Easter after I was grown with 2 girls of my own, my dad continued his very sweet tradition of the corsages for Mom, me and his precious granddaughters. Thanks Suzanne for your stories, I really enjoy them. I went to your web site for your recipes, so I feel like I know you a little better since I was able to see your pictures. From another lover of reading,"--Sandra S.

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com 
http://www.DearReader.com

Dear Reader Column 04-10-07

Join my email book club. Over 330,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

My husband bought me fresh tulips last week. It wasn't a romantic purchase, more of a rescue. We were at the market and after we picked out some strawberries, we walked through the flower section and that's when I got a case of the "remember when" blues. Looking at the spring flowers made me think about my father and our Easter tradition.

Every year, the day before Easter, my father would walk down to the florist and when he came back home he was carrying two small white boxes. Inside one was an orchid corsage for my mother and in the other box, a pretty pink and white carnation corsage for me.

My father wasn't a sentimental man, far from it. He never said "I love you" but once a year, when the tulips and daffodils of spring were peeking up through the ground--signaling a change in season--briefly there'd be a change in my father, too. I'm not sure how or where my dad got the idea, but buying a corsage for my mom and me, it became an Easter tradition. "Look at what my dad bought me." I wore my corsage all day long, even after I came home from church and changed into my play clothes and I fell asleep with it on my pillow too.

When I was older and moved out on my own, my father stopped buying me an Easter corsage. I missed it. Not just the flowers, but the feelings I used to get every year when he'd hand me the box from the florist.

And now here I was standing in the middle of the market, tears in my eyes and my husband knew why. "I think you need some fresh flowers for Easter, Suzanne. Don't these tulips look like spring?" And he handed me a pink and yellow bouquet of tulips--a new beginning and a new tradition of love.

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com 
http://www.DearReader.com

P.S. If you'd like to see Easter pictures of me, then and now, go to:

http://www.emailbookclub.com/photo/fresh.html

Dear Reader Column 04-09-07

Join my email book club. Over 330,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

I just discovered this is Egg Salad Week. Shame on me, all these years, without knowing it, I've been snubbing chickens and ordering turkey club sandwiches instead. But before you mark your calendar, so you too can properly celebrate, I should warn you, Egg Salad Week is one of those holidays that moves around--it's always celebrated the week following Easter.

But other holidays like Dictionary Day, on October 16th, National Towel Day celebrated on May 25th, and even Rubber Eraser Day on April 15th, not to worry, these holidays stay put. Some people would argue that Eraser Day should be celebrated on April 13th instead, but they're an easily persuaded bunch, constantly changing their minds, which is probably why they hold the holiday so dear. (Okay, so you knew at least one dumb joke was coming your way. Just erase it from your mind.)

Seriously, no one knows for sure which date is correct, but without Joseph Priestley, who discovered the eraser in 1770 and Hyman Lipman, who patented the pencil with an eraser at the end, we wouldn't be able to hold our erasers high, eliminate our booboos, and toast this national holiday on either date.

If something is near and dear to your heart, there's still plenty of room on the calendar if you'd like to proclaim your own national holiday. To make it official, your holiday suggestion would have to make the congressional agenda and that process could take years. So instead, you might consider "unofficially" proclaiming your special day like Ellen Stanley, an art teacher from Texas, did in 1972.

While I was graduating from high school, Ms. Stanley was busy proclaiming March 1st, National Pig Day. "To honor and give thanks to our most intelligent domesticated creature," were her sentiments. And to properly celebrate, Ms. Stanley recommends a rousing game of Pin the Tail on the Pig and firing up the grill to sample some you-know-what. Her favorite dishes: pigs in blankets, crispy bacon, pork with a side of apple sauce, and some tasty bacon stew. I don't quite understand her logic, seems to me we should be eating something "other-than" but it's her holiday.

I've already missed a lot of this year's unofficial holidays, but there are still plenty of reasons to party. For instance, July is Anti Boredom Month, sponsored by The Boring Institute, but then again--who cares!

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com 
http://www.DearReader.com

AUTHORBUZZ: Win signed copies of books you'll read and never forget from these terrific authors: Nicole Young, Love Me If You Must; Ted Dekker, Skin; Beryl Singleton Bissell, The Scent of God: A Memoir; Masha Hamilton, The Camel Bookmobile; and Greg Bear, Quantico. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

Dear Reader Column 04-06-07

Join my email book club. Over 330,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

Dot, a long time book club reader, is going to use my Waikiki Beach Chicken recipe to promote the book club.

"Suzanne: I printed off your Waikiki Beach Chicken recipe last year, intending to make it then a lot of things happened, and the recipe got put away. Yesterday, having pineapple rings left over from a dessert recipe, I dug through my pile of recipes, found it, and today I finally tried it. WOW! What great flavor! When it's my turn to be hostess for my book club, this will be on the menu--and I will show them my printout and tell them about your website. Thanks, not only for the recipe, but for your Dear Reader column which I really enjoy."--Dot

You'll find all of my favorite recipes, including the Waikiki Beach Chicken (with photos) at:

http://tinyurl.com/yufq48

Have a great weekend. I'll be baking, trying some of the cookie recipes readers sent to me. My new oven finally came!

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com 
http://www.DearReader.com

P.S. I have 16 copies of Sara Davidson's new book, LEAP! What Will We do with the Rest of Our Lives? If you'd like to get a free copy simply send an email to: enter-to-win4@emailbookclub.com

READ THE CLASSICS: Main Street by Sinclair Lewis and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to:
http://tinyurl.com/2eutpk

Dear Reader Column 04-05-07

Join my email book club. Over 330,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

The fear has got me this morning. When it happens it's tough getting out of bed. The aches, the pains, the emotional feelings, I get hit hard. Foot on the ground, head for the shower, make some coffee, push anything negative out of my mind. Don't know why I'm under attack anyway, nothing immediately comes to mind. I'm sure if I went looking I'd find the culprit. But I don't have time today. I need to get my stuff done.

So Mr. or Ms. Fear, whatever your gender and your real name, you're going to have to make friends with someone else today. I know all the tapes, you're playing nothing new and I'm not buying. "I'm a loser, people think I'm something I'm not, I don't really have any direction, I don't really know what my life is all about. What if?, What if?" But I'm not buying today. Get out of here. Leave me alone, I've got no time. I'm gonna make it a good day even if it takes everything in me to do it. You're not winning today.

This is the part where I cry. Go ahead and cry Suzanne. Let down and the fear moves on. Bye, bye.

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com 
http://www.DearReader.com

AUTHORBUZZ: Not just 5 or 10 winners, but some authors are offering prizes for 25 winners. Stop by and see what these wonderful authors have for you this week: Pamela Duncan, The Big Beautiful; Deidre Knight, Parallel Seduction; Angela Davis-Gardner, Plum Wine; Lesley Dormen, The Best Place to Be; and Stella Cameron, Target. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

READ THE CLASSICS: Main Street by Sinclair Lewis and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/2eutpk

Dear Reader Column 04-04-07

Join my email book club. Over 330,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

Thanks for taking the time to email. I really appreciate it.

From my Email Bag:

"Hi Suzanne, Just thought I would take a moment to say hello and say have a great week. I am a mother of a 16, 11 and 2 year old, so my week will be busy with half school days, parent teacher conferences and my own doctor's appointments. I've written to you before and told you my one peaceful moment is spent reading your column every morning before I get the kids up for their school days. I enjoy your column so much because I relate somehow to you and the way you write each day, I've been with your column a little more than a year, and I can't seem to let you know how important I feel when you write. It feels like you are speaking directly to me and I crave the BIG PEOPLE conversation at this point in my life. I love the way you express yourself and someday when I have time I want to write my own books, so maybe I can see myself highlighted in your column. Have a great week, your friend on computer,"--Denise D.

"Suzanne, You reach out to thousands of us and make a difference in our lives, not just from the books you send, but from your stories. Some of your stories make me laugh, some make me cry, but each help me to know you better, and that is a gift. Because of those stories, I feel I have a friend in Florida."--Jim T.

"Suzanne, I can't begin to tell you how excited I am in becoming a member of your book club. I can't get enough! Every morning, after I get the children off to school, I settle down at the computer to find out what's waiting for me....It's very addicting....I think your club is one of the best things in the world! I plan on becoming a permanent member."--Rose Mary

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Gratefully,
Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com 
http://www.DearReader.com

P.S. I have 16 copies of Sara Davidson's new book, LEAP! What Will We do with the Rest of Our Lives? If you'd like to get a free copy simply send an email to: enter-to-win4@emailbookclub.com

READ THE CLASSICS: Main Street by Sinclair Lewis and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to:
http://tinyurl.com/2eutpk

Dear Reader Column 04-03-07

Join my email book club. Over 330,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

It's not polite to eat and run, but it is at my house. In fact, I encourage it.

One of the things I remember fondly from my childhood is that every Sunday my parents drove for almost an hour, after church, so we could go to Grandma and Grandpa's house for Sunday dinner. I'm not sure if my parents enjoyed it or not, they never talked about such things, but Sunday dinner was a tradition that I looked forward to and I've been trying to keep it going in my family--but with an updated twist.

I realize there's no way I could get my family to show up every Sunday for dinner and frankly I'd probably protest if they did, but I do cherish the times we spend together, when there's no agenda, no holiday frills. So I've created "Eat and Run" dinners.

My "Eat and Run" dinners don't have to be on Sunday. If I find a great looking roast at the market and it happens to be a Tuesday, I'll pick up the phone and invite the family to dinner that evening. But "Eat and Run?" I admit when I first thought of the idea, it made me cringe because it goes against the way I was raised and hopefully it would bother my children, too. So the first time I extended an "Eat and Run" invitation, I included this guilt-free waiver:

"Would you like to come over for dinner tonight? It's an "Eat and Run" dinner. I'd like it if we could get together more often for a meal, but everyone's busy and I don't want to make it a big production. So here's how it works. You show up at 6 o'clock, dinner will be ready, enjoy the good food and when you're finished eating, you leave. No dishes, no sitting around talking, and if you don't leave I'll throw you out."

Surprisingly I didn't have to do any coaxing to get my family in the door, but I did have to do a lot of coaxing, including putting on my pajamas and turning out the lights to get them out.

"It's an 'Eat and Run' dinner," I reminded them, "if we don't keep it 'Eat and Run,' you wouldn't want to come to dinner as often." And so they promised next time, they'd follow the rules.

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com 
http://www.DearReader.com

P.S. I have 16 copies of Sara Davidson's new book, LEAP! What Will We do with the Rest of Our Lives? If you'd like to get a free copy simply send an email to: enter-to-win4@emailbookclub.com

READ THE CLASSICS: Main Street by Sinclair Lewis and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to:
http://tinyurl.com/2eutpk